Aug 28 2024

U.S. Appeals Court Rules Former Marijuana Users Can Legally Own Guns, Citing Unconstitutional Federal Ban

In a major decision, a U.S. appeals court has ruled that a Texas resident cannot be prosecuted under a federal law that prohibits drug users from owning firearms, stating that the law is unconstitutional when applied to individuals with past drug use.

This ruling follows a recent Supreme Court decision that broadened the interpretation of the Second Amendment.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals determined that the federal ban on firearm ownership for drug users should not apply to Texas resident Paola Connelly, as it unjustly targets individuals based on their previous drug habits.
Continue reading

Aug 28 2024

Florida Poll Shows 57% of Voters Support Amendment 3 to Legalize Marijuana, Just 34% Are Opposed

According to a new poll of registered Florida voters, a strong majority support Amendment 3.

The Public Policy Polling (PPP) survey found support for Amendment 3 to be at 57%. Although this is below the 60% threshold for enactment (given the measure is a constitutional amendment), it’s within the +/-3.4% margin of error, and 9% of voters remain undecided. Just 34%, or roughly one in three, oppose Amendment 3.

Specifically, the survey’s participants were asked “Amendment 3, titled “Adult personal use of marijuana,” will appear on the ballot in Florida this November. It would allow adults 21 years or older to possess, purchase, or use marijuana products and marijuana accessories for non-medical personal consumption. If the election was today, would you vote yes or no on Amendment 3?”
Continue reading

Aug 28 2024

New York City Mayor Oversees Burning of Thousands of Pounds of Marijuana

Today, New York City Mayor Eric Adams hosted what some are dubbing “a cartoonish display“, where he and members of the city’s police department oversaw the burning of four tons of marijuana products they deemed to be “illegal.”

NYC Mayor Eric Adams holding a bag of marijuana prior to its burning.

Despite recreational marijuana being legal in New York since 2021, the city burnt over 8,000 pounds of marijuana and marijuana products today, ranging from dried flower to edibles. The products were seized by over 1,000 marijuana stores throughout the city that were operating without a license.

“We’re going to destroy four tons of cannabis,” said Adams prior to the burning. “We have to stay on top of this because there are so many people who like to participate in this illegal endeavor. We’re going to destroy illegal cannabis in this city. It’s not going to go in our neighborhoods.”
Continue reading

Aug 28 2024

Top 10 CBD Studies Released So Far in 2024

As the interest in the marijuana compound cannabidiol (CBD) continues to rise, 2024 has been a remarkable year for research into its potential benefits and applications.

Recently we covered the top marijuana studies published so far in 2024, as well as the top THC studies. In this article, we will cover what we believe to be the most important CBD-related studies released this year.
Continue reading

Aug 28 2024

North Carolina Tribe to Open State’s First-Ever Recreational Marijuana Store in 10 Days, Open to All 21+

In just 10 days the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will open the doors of their marijuana superstore to the general public, allowing access to everyone 21 and older..

(Photo credit: WLOS Staff).

On Saturday, September 7, the Great Smoky Cannabis Company will be accessible to everyone 21 and older, regardless of tribal status. The marijuana megastore is situated on tribal land in Cherokee, North Carolina, which about three hours from Charlotte and 4.5 hours from Raleigh.

This massive store, located at a refurbished bingo hall, initially opened on April 20, catering exclusively to tribal members who were medical marijuana patients. On July 4, the store expanded its services to include recreational sales, but access was still limited to tribal members.
Continue reading

Aug 28 2024

California Senate Greenlights Bill to Legalize Marijuana Cafés, Moves to Final Assembly Vote

California’s Senate has now passed legislation to legalize marijuana cafés through its third and final reading, just a day after it was approved through its second reading.

Assembly Bill 1775 successfully completed its third reading in the Senate yesterday by a vote of 30 to 7. The bill had previously cleared the full Assembly in May with a 58 to 6 vote. However, due to amendments made in committee, it will return to the Assembly for one final vote of concurrence before it can be sent to Governor Newsom.

The legislation would “authorize a local jurisdiction, if specified conditions are met, to allow for the preparation or sale of noncannabis food or beverage products, as specified, by a licensed retailer or microbusiness in the area where the consumption of cannabis is allowed, and to allow, and to sell tickets for, live musical or other performances on the premises of a licensed retailer or microbusiness in the area where the consumption of cannabis is allowed.”
Continue reading

Aug 28 2024

Study Finds Marijuana Users “Had Better Outcomes and Mortality Compared with Non-Users” in COVID-19 Cases

A new study published in the peer-reviewed journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research and available online through the National Institutes of Health found that when it comes to COVID-19, “Cannabis users had better outcomes and mortality compared with non-users”.

COVID-19.

The research, which utilized data from the National Inpatient Sample Database, sought to evaluate the impact of cannabis on severe COVID-19 outcomes. According to the study, the “primary outcome was severe COVID-19 infection, defined as a composite of acute respiratory failure, intubation, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), or severe sepsis with multiorgan failure.”

Researchers analyzed data from 322,214 patients admitted with a COVID-19 diagnosis, of which 2,603 were identified as cannabis users. The study notes that cannabis users were generally younger and had a higher prevalence of tobacco use. However, even after adjusting for age, race, gender, and 17 other comorbidities through propensity matching, cannabis users exhibited significantly better outcomes.
Continue reading

Aug 28 2024

Nebraska, Florida, South Dakota and North Dakota Set to Vote on Marijuana Initiatives in Two Months

In just over two months, on November 5, voters in Florida, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Nebraska will head to the polls to decide the fate of statewide marijuana initiatives that could significantly reshape the legal landscape for cannabis.

In Florida, Amendment 3 would legalize recreational marijuana for those 21 and older, who would be allowed to purchase and possess up to three ounces of cannabis, with a five-gram limit for concentrates. The measure, backed by the Smart & Safe Florida campaign, would also allow licensed marijuana retail outlets and medical cannabis dispensaries to sell marijuana for recreational use.

Three recent polls all have support for Amendment 3 among likely voters to be above the 60% threshold for enactment (60% is required rather than 50% given it’s a constitutional amendment).
Continue reading

Aug 28 2024

Study: CBD Reduces Seizures in Drug-Resistant Epilepsy Linked to Rare Genetic Condition

A recent international study has found that cannabidiol (CBD) may offer significant relief for patients suffering from drug-resistant epilepsy associated with glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored protein deficiencies (GPI-ADs).

Published this month in the peer-reviewed journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, the study was conducted by a team of researchers from Italy, Denmark, Brazil, Germany, and the United States.

The study focused on six patients with genetically confirmed GPI-AD, a condition that often leads to severe, drug-resistant epilepsy. The patients, five of whom were male, began experiencing seizures as early as five months of age. Despite traditional treatments, these patients continued to suffer from frequent and severe seizures.
Continue reading

Aug 27 2024

The Top THC Studies Released So Far in 2024

As research into the marijuana compound delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) continues to expand, 2024 has seen several groundbreaking studies showcasing its vast medical potential.

2024 has been a pivotal year for marijuana research, particularly in uncovering the medical potential of compounds like CBD and THC.

With that in mind, here is a list of the most important THC studies released so far this year:
Continue reading